Let us negotiate for talks, share responsibilities, PC tells insurgents
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 14 2010: Asserting that many separatist outfits in the North East region have entered into negotiations and some others have expressed willingness to come forward for peace talks, Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram today appealed to the separatists in the state to shun violence and come forward for negotiations.

P Chidambaram arrived here today afternoon on a two day visit to review the internal security among others.

He held a one hour interaction with students of various colleges at GP Women College starting from 4 pm.

Speaking at the interaction, the Home Minister pointed out that students should take a major role in restoring peace in the trouble torn state of Manipur.

Except in Manipur and Assam, peace and normalcy has prevailed in the other states of Nagland, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.

Home Minister P Chitambaram in Meitei head gear greeting students GP college

Most of the insurgent groups in the North Eastern region have hinted acquiescence to come forward for peace talks with the Centre, thus paving the way for growth development and peace, Chidambaram asserted while expressing the view that peace will be restored in Manipur if the insurgents follow the path of their counterparts in the other states.

The time has come for the insurgents to share the responsibility of governance so that a common effort is made to push the state forward in development, he said.

Centre is targeting to become a developed country by 2020 by solving all the problems related with insurgency movements.

To achieve this end, the people of Manipur particularly the students need to take a major role in resolving the various problems affecting the state.

Chidambaram told the students participating in the hour long interaction.

In the state with a 22 lakh population, different communities have settled together.

The Centre well understands the issue of the integrity of the state.

There is no question of re-drawing the boundaries of Manipur.

All Manipuris and every community has equal rights and they should get the same rights and opportunities.

Meetei, the major community should take the major role of protecting the smaller communities living in the state and this should be kept in mind that "India is proud of Manipur having its own more than 2000 year old recorded history, own language, unique arts and culture" .

India is a country of composite culture and ethnicity.

The preamble of its constitution, clearly states it is a "secular, socialist and democratic republic".

The country is trying its best to achieve this goal.

Despite internal and external hindrances and disturbances faced now and then, the country will leave no stone unturned to achieve the end that has been targeted by Vision-2020 and to achieve this end and strengthening the unity of the country, the support of the people is a must, he went to say.

Expressing concern over the absence of big industries and business centres in Manipur, Chidambaram asserted that it was due to the bad law and order situation that businessmen and investors are unwilling to do their business or invest in the state.

The first priority of the state is prevalence of peace and to remove the apprehensions of the businessmen and investors, he said recalling the fragile situation of Punjab during the period from 1982-91.The then Punjab where there was violence, strikes, curfews almost everyday, has now become a developed state after peace was restored.

Likewise, if there is peace, thousands of businessmen and investors will automatically visit Manipur to run their businesses, he said.

In reply to a question asked by a student why there was a recruitment of security personnel in a large scale instead of filing up vacant posts of teachers in educational institutions, Chidambaram agreed that it is not a positive sign, but circumstances have dictated it.

Recruitment of security personnel indicates that the state is trouble riddled, law and order is bad, life of the civilians are at risk and all this is not a good sign.

There will come a situation in which funds invested in raising security strength can be stopped and invested in the education sector, he told the students.

In reply to another question of a student on frequent bandhs and blockades on the national highways, Chidambaram said that national highways, airways and other transport communication systems are the properties of the general people.

No one can create disturbances in these sectors.

Government in its utmost will try to stop blocking of the highways.

In this regard, people's support is also a must.

People should not support any kind of blockades or bandhs on the highways.

The general people should come out to protest against these strike callers, he asserted.

Government is taking up upgradation work of NH-53 by investing more funds considering the importance of the highway for the people of Manipur .

During the prolonged blockade on the national highways.

During the interaction, Home Minister Chidambaram also condemned the frequent assaults of girls from North East like molestations and rapes.

This is an opportunistic crime which occurs in other places too.

Delhi police has taken up special measures to control such crimes, he disclosed.

Earlier, as soon as he arrived at Imphal, Chidambaram reviewed the law and order situation with the top brass of the state and Central security establishments at Raj Bhavan.

It was followed by a meeting with a seven member delegation of Naga based civil organisations within the fold of the United Naga Council (UNC), which is spearheading the campaign for an 'alternative arrangement' for the Naga inhabited areas of Manipur.